Wikipedia: Ming Veritable Records
1. HSING-CH'A SHENG-LAN
The Hsing-Ch'a Sheng-Lan (often translated as "The Overall Survey of the Starry Raft") is an essential primary source for understanding the early days of the Malacca Sultanate. Written by Fei Hsin, a military clerk who accompanied Admiral Zheng He on several voyages, the 1436 record provides a fascinating "outsider’s perspective" on Malacca’s transition from a fishing village to a global trade hub.
Here is a breakdown of the conditions in Malacca as documented by Fei Hsin:
1. Physical Environment and Infrastructure
Fei Hsin describes Malacca as a land with "mountains that are high and the soil is poor," noting that agriculture was not the primary strength of the region.
- The Fortified City: He mentions a wooden palisade with four gates and watchtowers. This suggests that even by the early 15th century, Malacca was already prioritizing security to protect its growing wealth.
- The Bridge: One of the most famous details is the bridge over the Malacca River, lined with market stalls. This indicates a highly organized commercial layout where trade happened literally on the path between the two halves of the city.
2. Society and Culture
Fei Hsin’s observations of the people are a mix of ethnographic detail and the typical "middle kingdom" bias of the era:
- Appearance: He describes the locals as having "dark skin" and wearing their hair in knots. Men and women wrapped themselves in pieces of cloth (sarongs).
- Lifestyle: The people were noted for being "simple and honest" but also "fierce" when provoked. He observed that they were skilled at maritime activities, reflecting their dependence on the sea.
- Religion: While Islam was beginning to take root, Fei Hsin’s descriptions suggest a society still heavily influenced by local customs and older traditions, though he acknowledges the king’s conversion and the presence of mosques.
3. Economy and Trade
This is where Fei Hsin’s notes become most detailed, as Malacca’s primary value to the Ming Dynasty was its strategic location.
- Resources: He lists local products such as tin (which was cast into blocks called "small pieces"), ebony, and resin.
- The Entrepot: He highlights that Malacca produced very little of its own food (importing rice from Java). Instead, it functioned as a "waiting station" for ships from the West (India/Arabia) and the East (China) to trade goods while waiting for the monsoon winds to shift.
- Currency: He mentions the use of tin coins and the barter of gold, silver, and porcelain.
4. Relationship with China
Fei Hsin’s 1436 notes emphasize Malacca’s status as a vassal state of the Ming Empire. He records how the ruler of Malacca traveled to China to pay tribute and receive a silk robe and a yellow umbrella—symbols of imperial recognition that protected Malacca from its neighbors, particularly the Thai (Siam) kingdom.
"The people of this country are very grateful for the kindness of the Heavenly Dynasty [China]." — Fei Hsin, 1436
It’s interesting to compare Fei Hsin’s account with the Ying-Yai Sheng-Lan (1451) by Ma Huan, who was more focused on the linguistic and religious shifts of the region.
2. HSUAN-TSUNG (XUANDE) SHIH-LU
The Hsuan-tsung (Xuande) Shih-lu (Verbatim Records of Emperor Xuande) serves as the official administrative diary of the Ming court during the reign of the Xuande Emperor (1425–1435). While Fei Hsin’s Hsing-Ch'a Sheng-Lan provides a traveler’s view, the Shih-lu offers a "top-down" look at the political and diplomatic maneuvers between the Ming Empire and the Malay Kingdom (Malacca).
These records are crucial because they document the peak and the eventual wind-down of the Treasure Voyages.
1. Diplomatic Recognition and Sovereignty
The Shih-lu records the frequent arrival of envoys from Malacca. In the eyes of the Ming court, Malacca was a "model" tributary state.
- The 1431 Decree: One of the most significant entries is a decree issued by Xuande to the King of Siam (Ayutthaya). The Shih-lu notes that Malacca’s King, Sri Maharaja, complained of Siamese harassment. The Emperor sent a stern warning to Siam to stop interfering with Malacca, effectively acting as a "security guarantor" for the Malay Kingdom.
- Investiture: The records detail the gifting of the "silver seal" and official robes to the Malaccan rulers, which legitimized their authority in the eyes of other regional powers.
2. The Final Voyages of Zheng He
The Xuande Shih-lu provides the official justification for the seventh and final voyage (1431–1433).
- Restoring the Tribute System: The records state that because many overseas countries had stopped sending tribute during the brief hiatus after the Yongle Emperor’s death, Zheng He was dispatched to "instruct" them on their duties.
- Malacca as the Base: The Shih-lu confirms that Malacca served as the primary "Guan-chang" (Government Depot). It was the logistics hub where the fleet would regroup, store goods, and wait for the monsoon winds.
3. Death of the Malaccan King
A poignant entry in the Shih-lu (dated 1433–1434) records the death of the Malaccan King while he was in China or shortly after his visit.
- The records show that the Emperor ordered a formal funeral sacrifice and provided a ship to carry the King’s son and successor back to Malacca to be officially installed as the new ruler. This illustrates the deep, almost paternalistic, relationship the Ming court felt toward the Malaccan royalty.
Comparison of Perspectives
Why the 1430s Matter
The records from this decade are bittersweet. While they show Malacca at its most secure under Chinese protection, they also mark the beginning of the Ming Isolationism. After the Xuande Emperor’s death in 1435, the Shih-lu shows a sharp decline in naval funding, leaving Malacca to eventually defend itself against regional rivals and, later, European powers.
3. MING SHILU
The Ming Shilu (Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty) is one of the most vital primary sources for understanding the history of the Malacca Sultanate. It serves as an imperial diary, documenting the diplomatic, economic, and political interactions between the Ming Emperors and the Malay kingdom.
While there are over 100 specific entries regarding "Melaka" (referred to as Man-la-jia 滿剌加 in the texts), they generally fall into three major historical phases.
1. The Era of Recognition (1403–1424)
During the reign of the Yongle Emperor, Malacca transitioned from a small fishing village into a protected strategic port.
- 1403: The first official mission led by Yin Qing. The Shilu records the Ming's recognition of Parameswara (called Bai-li-mi-su-la) as the legitimate ruler.
- Protection against Siam: Multiple entries document Malacca seeking Ming protection against the Sukhothai/Ayutthaya Kingdom. The Emperor famously sent a warning to the Siamese to stop harassing the "new kingdom."
- Zheng He’s Voyages: The records detail Malacca’s role as the primary "forward base" for the Treasure Fleet.
2. High Diplomacy & Tributary Missions (1425–1510)
This period constitutes the bulk of the 100+ entries. Malacca was arguably China’s most loyal tributary state in Southeast Asia.
- Royal Visits: The Shilu meticulously records visits by Malaccan Sultans to the Ming court. This was rare; most rulers sent envoys, but Malaccan kings often traveled in person to Beijing.
- Investiture: Entries describe the granting of imperial robes, yellow umbrellas, and silver seals to Sultans like Mansur Shah and Alauddin Riayat Shah.
- Trade Regulations: Records of "tribute" (which functioned as state-sanctioned trade) involving pepper, tin, and exotic animals.
3. The Fall and the Portuguese Conflict (1511–1524)
The tone of the Shilu shifts dramatically after the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in 1511.
- The Appeal for Help: Following the invasion by Alfonso de Albuquerque, the exiled Sultan’s envoys reached China to beg for military intervention.
- The Ming Response: The Shilu records the Ming court's outrage. While the Emperor did not send a fleet to retake the city, he did arrest Portuguese envoys (like Tomé Pires) in Canton and refused to trade with the "Folangji" (Franks/Portuguese) until Malacca was restored to its rightful ruler.
- Border Skirmishes: Several entries detail the naval battles at Tunmen and Xicaowan where Ming forces clashed with the Portuguese, partly as a delayed retaliation for the seizure of Malacca.
Summary of Key Themes in the Entries
Why these entries matter
The Ming Shilu provides the Chinese perspective that balances the local accounts found in the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals). For instance, while the Sejarah Melayu emphasizes the cultural and religious grandeur of the Sultanate, the Shilu emphasizes the geopolitical hierarchy and the specific dates of diplomatic exchanges.
6. XIYANG FANGUO ZHI BY GONG ZHEN
- Records of the Foreign Nations in the Western Ocean written in 1434 by Gong Zhen, a secretary and translator for Admiral Zheng He during the 7th and final voyage..
- He provides a detailed first-hand account of the Melaka Sultanate (referred to as Manlajia 滿剌加)
- Melaka was originally a small coastal village under the control of the Kingdom of Siam.
- Ming Emperor (Yongle) formally recognised the ruler of Melaka as a King, granting him silver seal and a tablet.
- Zheng He established a fortified warehouse complex in Melaka (Guangchang Official Depots). The King and the people of Melaka were Muslims (Huijiao).
- The people of Melaka were honest and simple.
7. T'AI TSUNG (EMPEROR YONGLE - 1402-1424)
- In 1403 - the emperor sent the envoy Yin Qing to Melaka. In 1405, he officially recognised Parameswara (Bai-li-mi-su-la) as the King of Melaka.
- Composed an inscription for the "State Mountain" of Melaka.
8. JEN-TSUNG (EMPEROR HONGXI - 1424-1425)
- Confirm the continuation of the tributary relationship.
- Record the visit of Megat Iskandar Shah (son of Parameswara) to the Chinese court to report his father's death and receive official investiture as the new ruler.
9. HSUAN TSUNG SHI-LU (EMPEROR XUANDE - 1425-1435)
- The final "Golden Era" of Ming-Melaka relations.
- Records the 7th and final voyage of Zheng He (1431-1433) , which once again used Melaka as its primary Southeast Asia depot.
- The Emperor send stern warnings to the King of Siam to cease hostilities against Melaka.
10. XIAN ZHONG SHU LU
- Volume 59: Melaka sent Minister Ba La Si and interpreter Wu Sha to meet the Emperor of China in 1468.
- Volume 65: The King of Melaka Sultan Mansur Syah send Duan Ya Ma La Di Na Cha and his 12 companions to meet and presnt tribute to the Emperor of China in 1469.
11. YING ZHONG SHI LU
- Veritable records of the Emperor Yingzong on the history of the Melaka Sultanate.
- Volume 47: refers to a specific section of the official court for the Zhengde Emperor (1505-1521) of the Ming Dynasty.
- Volume 306: Chinese Emperor recognised Sultan Mansur Shah as the King of Malacca.
- Volume 336: The Chinese Minister of Protocol Shi Mao reported that Chen Jia You and Peng Sheng who were sent to Malacca to recognised the King of Malacca where their ship was damaged by a typhoon.
12. YUAN SHIH
- Chinese record stating that around 1295 AD, the Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty issued an 'Imperial Order' instructing Hsien (Siam) not to disturb the Ma-Li-Yu-Erh (Malays) and to stick to their promises.
Google Gemini AI
12/2/2026: 11.49 p.m
